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Beaten Australian Open finalist Andy Murray has pulled out of next week's $1.6 million Dubai Open, citing a wrist injury.
"Andy would like to apologise to both the tournament and its fans," a simple two sentence statement on his official website read.
The Scot was last week bumped out of Rotterdam by Marcos Baghdatis, his first match since losing the Australian Open showpiece to Novak Djokovic last month.
That Melbourne defeat was the third time a grand slam final appearance has ended in defeat for the world number five, who is yet to win one of tennis's four major titles.
His next tournament is now listed as the March 10-20 $605,000 Indian Wells Masters event.
Murray last year came under fire in Dubai for saying after a loss at the tournament that he had employed experimental tactics.
He was beaten by unseeded Janko Tipsarevic after an unusual display in which he charged the net more than usual and went for a greater number of winners.
"I think it was a good learning experience -- if it was a slam, my tactics would have been different," Murray told reporters afterwards.
